The Ballad of Johnny Severn

Once lived a lad in Danville Town

whose name was Johnny Severn.

His legs were long and shoulders strong;

He toiled in every weather.

Aye Johnny war a fair young lad

who sailed upon the sea.

"Oh mother dear ne'er be so sad,

and never fear for me."

"We fish the seas in howlin' gales

with furies that blast from hell,

they rip and shred our tattered sails

but nary worry as will come well."

He loved a lass whose name was Anne

her hair was woven sunlight

with lips of cherry wine

and eyes so filled with moonlight.

He loved her deep he loved her true

with every bone and sinew

and swore his faithful tribute

to heaven's eyes of blue.

They tarried long among the fields

exchanging sighs and telling lies.

Where harvesters reaped their yield,

they dallied under starlit skies.

Her windswept hair hung long as wheat;

they lay entwined within the grass

and made love with kisses sweet

His soul, he gave to the comely lass.

Alas his life lay on the sea

where men must fish to eat,

and many moons must he

be gone before again to meet.

Will you be mine alone to marry

when I return in spring?

Anne whispered sweet, "I promise here to tarry."

He hung upon her lily neck a chain with golden ring.

With fulsome heart and gladsome soul,

our Johnny took his leave

and never feared how cruel winds blow

or whether sweethearts grieve.

For seven months he faced his fate

as storm flayed skin and tattered sails.

He mended nets and buried a mate

when rats and scurvy took their toil.

In troubled dreams, he saw her face,

a vision more than fair.

Hung round his neck ,a string of lace

and kept a locket of her hair.

Seven months of brine and rats and lice

can send a man to hell.

With rations gone, the cook fried mice.

Besodden, the ship wallowed in swells.

With the changing of the seasons

they followed the good stream home

with cargo fit for a king's ransom

to Danville Town bathed in foam.

The ship she was a-leaking

in every rib of keel

and with her topsail breaking

and still they made her heel.

With aching arms and doughty hearts

they plied their wayward vessel

to Danville Town to disembark

and unladen their weary souls.

And in the hidden trouser pocket

now tangled with torn lace

Johnny kept the precious locket

and dreamt to caress Anne's gentle face.

His mother was working in the garden,

planting kale and stringing beans

with her skirts tucked up in the apron

and her shoes split at the seams.

"Goodness my boy, let's take a look at you,

How thing you've grown and old.

The sea's done take its toll, forsooth,

and hand so calloused and cold."

She spoke with pride as mothers do

when sons return home safe

and nary let the flickering fear cloud

the gladsome joy of her face.

"Will Annie come round tonight to sup?"

Johnny asked impatiently.

He stripped his shirt, began to wash

the crusty brine of a thousand seas.

"Ye all your time from now to eternity

to wait for your fair Anne.

She's gone away with a rich man's lackey

for lord's manor in the land."

"And nary a word she said to me

before she left the town.

A neighbor brought a packet wee

with your name writ large and round."

"So take your time and sit ye down,

much sadder things to say

than fickle maids in Danville Town

that breaks your heart today."

Once lived a lad in Danville Town

whose name was Johnny Severn.

His legs were long and shoulders strong;

He toiled in every weathern.

He loved her true, he loved her deep

with every bone and sinew.

With winter wind and sleet

her love had frozen, too.